Final Ratings: NBC's Stanley Cup Final Opener Lowest In Four Years

NBC finished with a 1.8 final Nielsen rating and 2.9 million viewers for the Kings’ 2-1 OT win over the Devils Wednesday night, marking the lowest-rated NHL Stanley Cup Final opener since the league returned the first game to broadcast TV in ’09. The game is down 33% and 36%, respectively, from a 2.7 rating and 4.6 million viewers for the Bruins-Canucks opener last year, which was the most-viewed Stanley Cup Final opener in 12 years.

The chart below lists final Nielsen ratings from recent sports telecasts. All ratings listed are U.S. ratings. Figures for ABC’s telecast of the NASCAR Nationwide Series History 300 last Saturday were not available at presstime.